TRAVELLERS who set up camp in the town centre sparked anger among residents.

About a dozen caravans appeared on the borough council's car park between Wellington Road North and Cromwell Road last Wednesday morning.

Although the convoy left on Monday evening after the council took out a court order, people living nearby are furious that nothing has been done to stop them from landing on their doorstep again after first trespassing on the site last September.

And the Pioneer received a number of letters from readers asking whether the Travellers would face a fine for being on the car park without a ticket.

A resident, who preferred to re-main anonymous, said: 'The council is very defensive of the Travellers. I want to know why we've not got preventative measures to stop them getting on that car park.'

Maurice Brookes, chairman of the Stud Farm Residents & Tenants' Association for that part of Ellesmere Port, said: 'The gates there are not being locked at night. The Travellers have been running generators all night and skidding cars there.

'There is total disregard here for Council Tax-payers. Getting Travellers somewhere permanent is the only solution.

'Things will only be aggravated if we put them in the middle of town. There are other areas they could go, like the Hooton airfields.'

Brenda Harvey, deputy chief executive of the borough council, said: 'The council regarded this town centre car park as a highly unsuitable location for an unauthorised encampment.

'The council moved rapidly to obtain the necessary court orders to ensure that the Travellers moved on. The council's car park attendants visited and served notices on the vehicles present in line with the practice in all other car parks.

'Since the attendants first visited the Travellers had been buying tickets for those vehicles.'